Known All Along
by Radical.2
Summary: His muscled arms wrapped around her waist, hugging her like he was trying to crush her into a thousand pieces. The door opened with a slam, and a voice sang, "I knew it! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!"
1. Truth or Dare?

**J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter.**

Hermione Granger. Lavender Brown. Ginny Weasley. Pansy Parkinson.

Don't even ask how they all ended up at the top of the Astronomy tower, because I honestly have no idea. They just were there.

To spare you from reading several plotless pages of words, let's just skip to the good part, alrighty?

They all were sitting in a circle, some leaning on the wall, others pretzel-legged, and others lying down and staring at the ceiling.

Pansy replied to Ginny's previous question, "Truth."

"Do you still fancy Malfoy?" asked Ginny curiously.

"No! He's a git, and besides, I was the one who broke up with him!" she exclaimed irritably.

"Why?" asked Lavender, leaning in excitedly. She was always eager for some new gossip.

Pansy said, "Not telling, one truth per turn. That's the rule, remember?"

"Just a clue?" begged Lavender.

"Later," was the answer, resulting in a few expectant grins.

"Hermione Granger," Pansy mused, and you could very nearly see the gears grinding in her head.

"Oh no," groaned Hermione, her head in her hands. She was in for it now!

"Truth...or...dare?" she whispered, a wicked grin splattered across her face.

She had a plan, and it wouldn't matter if Hermione chose truth or dare, because her plans always worked out.

"Well..."

"You're a Gryffindor, aren't you?" asked Ginny. "Dare! Dare! Dare!"

Soon Lavender and Pansy and Ginny were all chanting, "Dare! Dare! Dare!"

"Okay, okay! I'll do...dare!" yelled Hermione nervously.

"I dare you..." Pansy trailed off evilly.

"To what?"

"I, Pansy Parkinson, dare you, Hermione Granger to...tell us where Draco is, right now," Pansy gave her a cold smile.

"No!" exclaimed Hermione. "I mean...er..."

"Why not?" Pansy continued. "Is he somewhere he isn't supposed to be?"

Hermione glared at her, and Ginny and Lavender watched it all with growing curiosity.

"Is someone being a chicken?" Lavender grinned.

"No!...How should I know where he is?" Hermione asked, frowning at them.

"Because a certain someone might have been seen snogging another certain someone!" squeaked Pansy.

Lavender and Ginny gasped.

"You did not just say that," replied Hermione flatly. "I shouldn't even be here! I have an essay to-"

Pansy took hold of her arm. "Not so fast, Granger. Do the dare! Do the dare-"

"If you start another bloody chant I will murder you!" threatened Hermione.

"Well, let's just say that a certain someone chickened out on their dare. That would mean that that certain someone would have to answer three truths!"

"Three truths!" exclaimed Hermione. "But-"

"Then do the dare!" urged Ginny, and Lavender nodded along with her.

"He was in the broom closet a few floors down last time I saw him!" she blurted out.

"And _why _was he there?" continued Pansy.

"Hey, you said only one! I did the dare!"

"Yes, but you were late. That requires some interest, don't you think, Ginny? Lavender?"

"Duh!" said Lavender.

"I really don't like you guys right now," said Hermione.

"Answer the question! Answer the-"

"Would you three shut up!" she yelled.

Silence.

"Fine, we were snogging. Whatever," she dismissed.

Two scandalized gasps could be heard.

A devious grin seen.

And a blushing, angry Hermione.

"Well, let's bring him on out here!" yelled Pansy.

"What are you talking- you didn't," stated Hermione.

"I did. Draco Malfoy, come on out here!" she continued.

Pansy swung open the door to reveal an annoyed and furious Draco Malfoy.

"I. Hate. You," he muttered, stepping inside.

"Why did you come, then?" asked Hermione angrily, walking towards him, her arms tightly crossed.

"Because I kind of owed her a favor," he admitted.

"Why?" asked Lavender, getting up to go by everyone else.

"We were snogging, and he-" Pansy started.

"Don't even think about finishing that sentence," he warned.

She smirked, "Too late. He called me Hermione when we were snogging."

"Merlin, Draco!" exclaimed Ginny. "Smooth move!"

"I wasn't thinking straight. What I meant to saw was...What rhymes with Hermione?" he muttered anxiously. "Er..."

"_That _is why I dumped him," finished Pansy.

"And he and Hermione were in a closet before this..._why_?" asked Ginny, pushing over Lavender to stand by Hermione.

"We were kind of...sort of...somewhat..." Hermione tried to say.

"Snogging," finished Draco.

"Oh. My-"

"Shut up, Lavender," retorted Pansy. "They secretly like each other. Obviously."

"I would never like such a-" Hermione started to say.

"You were kind of snogging him, you know?" said Ginny, raising an eyebrow.

"He was the one who-"

"Actually," Pansy interrupted, "I was the one who locked them in for a few minutes. You two weren't here yet, and I was bored."

"Did you know that they liked each other?" Ginny asked her.

"We're still here!" exclaimed Draco and Hermione.

Pansy ignored them. "Of course, it was quite obvious. Especially since he left his diary in the common room today."

"Again, smooth move," said Ginny.

"You should've seen it," Pansy chuckled, "It was all_ Dear Diary, today Hermione threatened my life again. I would never admit it, but she looks rather hot when she is angry. Dear Diary-"_

"SHUT UP!" screeched Draco, aiming a punch at her face, which she promptly ducked.

Only to have him hit Hermione instead.

"You just hit me!" yelled Hermione.

"I didn't mean to, honest! I was trying to get Pansy!" he exlaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Do that again and you'll suffer the consequences," she muttered darkly, her mouth inches from his ear.

He was suddenly finding it hard to swallow, or even breathe. "Okay," he managed to choke out.

"How did you end up snogging anyways?" asked Lavender curiously.

"We weren't really snogging, it was more of a kiss...with tongues..." Hermione trailed off awkwardly.

"Whatever you say, Granger," muttered Draco, he was still standing next to her.

He was feeling this crazy urge to touch her hair, or maybe even snog her again...

Yes, that would be nice, he thought. Too bad it'd never happen again.

Most likely.

"But why?" Ginny repeated Lavender's previous question to them.

Pansy stepped back, watching the drama and romance unfold, all thanks to her.

"It was his fault," complained Hermione.

"It was not!" he retorted, "Pansy locked us in!"

"Well, you didn't have to kiss me, then!"

"We were in a closet!"

"What, is there some rule that says whenever you're in a closet you have to snog someone?" yelled Hermione.

She didn't want to admit it, but he was taking her breath away.

He was just so bloody cute!

Ughhhhhh! she groaned internally.

"Of course not," he replied shortly, "But you were just right there, and I was...right next to you!"

"So..."

"I kind of fancy you. Get over it," he glared at her.

"This is just so weird," Lavender whispered to Ginny.

"I know, they hate each other. But fancy each other?" she responded.

"I knew it," Pansy muttered to them.

"So...you fancy me. But you hate me...How exactly does that work?" asked Hermione, not noticing the side conversation.

Merlin, his hair looked so soft and silky and touchable.

She sighed internally, it was just hair!

It was sort of beautiful, though.

"I didn't say I hated you! I just said...What did I say?" he asked her.

"I don't remember, Malfoy," Hermione replied, stepping even closer to him than she already was.

"So now it's Malfoy?"

"When was it ever Draco?"

"In the closet."

"That was once, and what about you?"

"Only a few times," he murmured.

Lavender had to listen hard to hear their nearly whispers, and Ginny just stared at the two blankly, raising her eyebrows.

Pansy watched it all like she had engineered the whole thing herself.

No wait, she had!

Draco and Hermione were inches from kissing, and both could feel their hearts pounding inside like hammers, and were clenching their fists behind their backs.

"Granger, do you fancy me too?" he asked curiously.

"I think I do," she whispered, then leaned in closer, kissing him.

Her hands went immediately to his hair, stroking the silky locks, pulling on them a bit to press him closer.

She smiled a little when they both backed away for a second, wide-eyed.

"Your hair," Hermione suddenly chuckled. "It's all messed up!"

"How is that even funny, Granger?"

"It just is- Would you three leave now?" she added.

Pansy grinned at her, opening the door and exiting, followed by Lavender and Ginny.

Draco winked at Hermione, whispering, "How much would you bet that they're eavesdropping on us right now?"

"A lot," she admitted, snaring her arms around his neck.

"Be really quiet," he said softly into her ear, gently kissing it before kissing her cheek, and then her lips.

She moaned silently as he deepened the kiss, opening her mouth further.

His muscled arms wrapped around her waist, hugging her like he was trying to crush her into a thousand pieces.

The door opened with a slam, and a voice sang, "I knew it! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!"

Pansy was ignored by the two lovers, so she gave them a quick unseen smile and gently shut the door behind her.

And now it was time to read the rest of his diary entries out loud in the common room!

He was so dead.

At least he had a girlfriend now.


	2. The Original Plan

**J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter.**

**I really like this story, so I decided to write a prequelish thing of what happened before the Astronomy tower.**

-Slytherin Common Room-

Pansy was waiting by the fireplace, casually leaning against the wall.

She glanced at her watch once more. Why is he so late? she thought to herself.

Why was he so distant lately, and why was he always carrying around that bloody book?

Someday, she thought, I have to get that book, or diary, or whatever it is. I have an odd feeling about it.

She narrowed her eyes, staring blankly into the crackling flames of the nearly exstinguished fire beside her.

"Hey," said a voice across the room, and she lifted her head to see him.

"Draco," she said shortly. "You're a bit late."

He tried not to roll his eyes in frustration, he really did, but he failed.

"What's going on?" asked Pansy, starting to frown.

"Nothing, don't worry, babe," he murmured into her ear softly.

"Oh...okay," she whispered, wrapping her hands around his waist, leaning her head on his chest.

She tilted her head up, and their lips met.

It wasn't really fireworks-like or magical, it was just a kiss to Draco.

A boring, lame, uninteresting kiss.

It meant nothing.

Pansy felt something like this too, she felt a little unsatisfied. She opened her mouth further to deepen the kiss, but that didn't work out too well either.

She abruptly shoved him away, and said flatly, "Draco."

He stared at her for a minute, a dazed smile on his face for some strange reason.

"Hermione," he whispered huskily, reaching for her.

"What the hell!" yelled Pansy, stomping hard on his foot with one of her high heels.

"Ow!" he exclaimed. "What was that for?"

"You really don't know?" she raised an eyebrow angrily, her hands on her hips.

"What did I do? Why are you acting like such a-"

"Don't finish that sentence," interrupted Pansy. "My name is _not _Hermione."

Draco's eyes widened, he realized what he had done finally.

"I didn't mean to- I just-" he broke off with a frustrated groan. "I ruined everything, didn't I?"

"Pretty much," agreed Pansy. "Goodbye, Draco."

"Sorry," he muttered, collapsing on an armchair next to him with a sigh.

What have I done? he thought.

Was this for better or for worse? he wondered.

-The Next Morning-

Draco slowly trudged through the hallways, coming to a stop at the entrance to the Great Hall.

Everyone would know, he thought. Pansy has probably already told everyone.

He was a bit afraid to go inside.

That was when he saw her approaching, so he straightened up and plastered on his best Slytherin smirk.

"Get out of the way, Malfoy," she said angrily, her hand twitching towards her wand in the pocket of her robes.

He realized that he was blocking the door. Awkward.

"As you wish, your majesty," he said sarcastically, stepping aside and giving her a mocking bow.

Hermione rolled her eyes, stepping inside and headed towards the Gryffindor table.

He mustered up all his courage- which wasn't much, as he wasn't much of a Gryffindor- and walked over to his table and sat down next to Blaise.

"Sorry, mate. That seat's taken," Blaise said to him.

"By who? I always sit here!" exclaimed Draco irritably.

They knew. Pansy probably told them all as soon as it happened. He was so dead.

"Pansy," was the reply, and Draco's eyes widened.

"Are you- What- Huh?" he spluttered.

Blaise raised an eyebrow at him. "We started dating about..." he glanced at his watch for effect, "Forty-five minutes ago."

"How does she- Did she tell you anything about...yesterday?"

"Only that you two broke up. You were fighting, right?"

"Er, yeah," Draco breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's what I thought. Hey Pansy!" Blaise added cheerfully, shoving Draco out of his seat. "I saved a spot for you!"

Draco ended up sitting next to his usual seat, occupied by Pansy.

He elbowed her about ten minutes later.

She turned at said, "What?"

She didn't sound angry, thankfully, that was a good sign.

"I'm sort of...sorry...for what happened," he managed to say to her.

"It's okay," she sighed. "I'm with Blaise now, I guess."

"I heard."

-That Night, The Slytherin Common Room Again-

Pansy silently stole down the stairs, walking ever so slowly down the stairs that led to the girl's dormitory she had just left.

She walked barefoot, breathing as quietly as she could, glancing around every few seconds.

That was when she spotted what she was looking for: the book.

She rushed toward it, not caring about being silent anymore.

His name was written in silver script on the leathery black book cover.

She slipped it into her pocket, then ran upstairs, feeling like a ninja.

She would read it later, but now all she wanted was some sleep.

-Random Corridor, The Next Day-

"Parkinson?" asked a voice behind her, causing her to stop and turn around.

"Obviously," replied Pansy. "What do you want, Creevey? I'm busy."

"I bet you wouldn't be so busy if you knew what I have in this bag," Colin gave her a mischievous grin.

"What?" she asked irritably. It wouldn't really matter if she stopped, she was already late for class.

Not that Professor Binns would even notice her absence.

"I figured out how to add sound to wizarding pictures, and guess what I got!"

"Just come out with it, you idiot!" she muttered.

"Footage of you and Malfoy. Breaking up."

"How did you even get that? It was in our common room!" Pansy replied.

"Got the password off Goyle. Pretty easy."

"And why are you telling me this? What do you want?" she asked, frowning at him.

"You want revenge, don't you?" he asked her.

"Well, yeah, but it doesn't really-"

"It _does _matter, Parkinson. We could team up to-"

"You're kidding me, right?" Pansy raised her eyebrows. He had to be kidding.

But there was that bloody bait he was holding in front of her, like a carrot to a horse, called revenge.

"I have a plan, and all you need to do is a few simple things."

"Tell me," she commanded, snatching his tie and pushing him against the wall. "Stop playing games."

Colin grinned at her, reaching in his pocket. "I wouldn't be mean if I were you, or else I might have to find something of you to show-"

"Okay, okay! Just tell me the bloody plan, Creevey!" she let go of him.

"We'll just need a bit more footage of Draco, and we could use that book sticking out of your bag," Colin replied, reaching for it.

"It's his diary," she explained. "I've only read a few pages, but you can borrow it, I guess."

What was the worst that could happen?

-Near a Broom Closet in The Astronomy Tower-

Colin had trusted her enough to let her borrow the camera, and this would be the perfect time.

The Weasley girl and Hermione Granger were meeting at the top of the tower, she had heard, for some Prefect thing.

She had heard this from Colin, who had overheard them talking about it.

Colin was actually pretty cool, though very annoying and quite devious.

She had had Colin let it slip to Lavender that the two girls were meeting there to play Truth or Dare, and Lavender was going in hopes of sucking up some more gossip or whatever.

The plan was set perfectly, from the closet with the hidden camera to her, standing there.

Draco was supposed to pass by here for a "Prefect's meeting," at the same time Hermione was coming, of course.

It had been Colin's idea for him to stall Lavender and Ginny with some love potion he had snuck in, and it had also been his idea to slip just a few drops into Draco's drink at dinner.

Well, actually Pansy had had to do that, and she was lucky no one had noticed.

Right on cue, Draco and Hermione both walked into the corridor from a different hallway, not even noticing each other in their rushing.

Not even noticing her, Pansy.

She raised her wand just in time to cast the spell, and Draco and Hermione both fell backwards, as if being dragged into the closet.

The door slammed shut behind them, and the lock closed, locking them inside.


	3. The Broom Closet

**J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter.**

-The Broom Closet-

Hermione felt like some force was shoving her backwards. She stumbled as it pushed her, and suddenly she hit a wall or something and everything was all dark, except for the thin crack of light near the floor.

must be in a broom closet or something, she thought. Some kind of hidden passageway out of the castle? Why?

She pulled out her wand to try and unlock the door, but she ended up elbowing something soft behind her.

It must be a person! she realized.

Why was there a person in here? Had they done this?

"Hello?" she whispered hesitantly, turning to face whoever was there.

She saw a glint of platinum blonde hair in the brief light from the crack under the door.

Was this who she thought it was?

And if it was, why?

"Hermione?" the incredulous voice asked her.

"Malfoy?" she asked. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Hermione," Draco whispered, leaning closer to her, his hands reaching out and finding her curly brown hair.

"What are you doing?" she asked, a bit frightened, but she was determined not to show it.

That was when she felt his mouth descend upon hers, and she felt like she was on that rollercoaster she had ridden over the summer, the one with all the corkscrews and loops and turns.

The one after which she couldn't walk straight for over an hour.

She felt the same way she had felt back when she had hit this same guy in her third year.

Blood boiling under her skin, anger and raw emotion and all that.

And now, now she was _kissing _him.

But why was he even kissing her? Surely he still hated her? Hopefully?

And why wasn't she trying to beat him up, anyways?

Her thoughts fluttered away one by one until the only words on her mind were his name.

Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy is kissing me, she kept repeating in her head.

And for some odd, mad reason, she wanted to kiss him back.

Hermione pressed herself against him, opening her mouth a little, feeling like she was being electified with heat and frozen to death in Antarctica at the same time.

He was a great kisser, she found herself thinking.

And there was nothing weird or mad about it.

He suddenly shoved her away, very abruptly.

"What am I doing?" he demanded of himself out loud, stuffing his hands behind his back.

The same hands that had previously been touching her hair!

Hermioneba quickly backed away, against the wall.

"Sorry," she found herself murmuring.

He was so beautiful-looking, she realized. An odd revelation, considering the fact that she could hardly see him.

"Alohomora," he said softly, and the door opened with a slow, ghostly creak.

She ran down the corridor and up the first stairs she saw, not even caring that she might not be going the right way.

And Draco just stood there, watching her, wondering what he had just done, and the question of the day sprung up again.

_Why_?


End file.
